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Holly3278
Guest
I chose the third option.
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CarolAnnSFO
Guest
Thank you for posting this; it is a lovely thought! And very comforting to those of us who will never be physical mothers.Spiritual Motherhood!!!
Have any of you heard of this? I think it comes from the spirituality of Ste. Therese de Lisieux. She was not a physical mother but she was definitely a spiritual one…
My thoughts are that we as women are mothers, we just can’t seperate the two… It is our calling, our vocation. Do you pray for others? Do you do works of mercy? Do you evangelise? Do you help in your parish, leading the children to the sacraments? Are you a grandma? The Blessed Virgin Mary is our Mother, she is our model of spiritual motherhood, she would lead us to Christ. If you are doing this in any way as a woman, you are a mother!
(Available immediately: one “Auntie”, only very slightly used.
)**Crazy Internet Junkie Society
**Carrier of the Angelic Sparkles Sprinkle Bag
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OutinChgoburbs
Guest
I think every woman should have skills that can transfer to the workplace, just in case she ever has to support her family, and she should keep up on those skills in some way. I’m not just talking about divorce. Husbands die, and don’t always leave insurance or funds. How and when she works and he works is their own business. I think the couple should sit down and look to see if it’s really and truly necessary (and worth the trouble after taxes and work expenses) for both spouses to work full time.I think both spouses in a family should know what’s going on financially, same reason- people die, and we don’t know the day or hour. I have to drag my husband into financial disucssions, because he’s just happy to let me run them. But I do persuade him to know what’s what. I could die. What would he do?
I think women should not treat their husbands as if the husbands are characters on a sitcom, and can’t tie their own shoes without the talented wives who can do it all.
I think women who are not married have to make their own decisions. I don’t think if they are skilled and supporting themselves, that they should have to run to their dads for permission to breathe.
I think all women- married, single, parents- need prayers, and should give them as well.
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alessandro
Guest
Of course, I love it when women look sexy 
Seriously, though, I guess you have to differentiate between a woman who is called to be a mother and a woman who is called to a different vocation.
I have many women colleagues, for example, who dedicated their lives toward becoming doctors. They studied hard in high school, got into a good university, worked their butts off, got into medical school, worked their butts off even harder, and then worked even harder to finish their residencies. Now, they are great doctors – but it came at great expense, for they sacrificed their youth (which are full of energy and fertile, child-bearing years).
The situation is even worse for those closest to me (i.e., in surgery), who, in training worked 100-120 hours per week just like me; and now continue to put in heavy hours of work.
When some women, at this point, discover that they want to get married and have kids, well, it isn’t that easy. Either they still don’t have the time to get pregnant, or they waited too long, or after the kids are born, they continue to work and leave the raising to the nannies.
Some women doctors (or doctor-wannabes) realize that their calling is toward motherhood, and change route mid-stream. One colleague changed from surgery to anesthesia, which offers a more relaxed schedule permissive of parenting obligations. Two ex-girlfriends chose easier paths (family practice and anesthesia).
My own fiancée, for example, was in medical school and realized that she couldn’t have the family of six that she desired if she went through with becoming a doctor. So she switched to nursing school. She is now a pediatric critical care nurse (she loves those little babies!) but is anxious for the day she can quit work and stay home with our future kiddos. (That’s about 2-3 years from now, for those who are wondering…)
Now, in this modern world, I don’t think a woman has to give up her career. I know some couples who chose that the wife should work (as high-paying lawyers and engineers) and the husband decided to stay home with the kids. In my opinion, that’s an acceptable option, since the parents are raising the kids, and not nannies. But I think there is some truth in the matter that God created innate gender-determined roles, and that these serve some higher purpose.
I offer for your final consideration the woman who decides to remain celibate for the purpose of a higher vocation – service of mankind, either as a health-care missionary or as a Religious. In this case, one might argue that Christ is her husband, and the world is her children. And in this case, I think she is demonstrating exactly what all of us – women included – should be.
Seriously, though, I guess you have to differentiate between a woman who is called to be a mother and a woman who is called to a different vocation.
I have many women colleagues, for example, who dedicated their lives toward becoming doctors. They studied hard in high school, got into a good university, worked their butts off, got into medical school, worked their butts off even harder, and then worked even harder to finish their residencies. Now, they are great doctors – but it came at great expense, for they sacrificed their youth (which are full of energy and fertile, child-bearing years).
The situation is even worse for those closest to me (i.e., in surgery), who, in training worked 100-120 hours per week just like me; and now continue to put in heavy hours of work.
When some women, at this point, discover that they want to get married and have kids, well, it isn’t that easy. Either they still don’t have the time to get pregnant, or they waited too long, or after the kids are born, they continue to work and leave the raising to the nannies.
Some women doctors (or doctor-wannabes) realize that their calling is toward motherhood, and change route mid-stream. One colleague changed from surgery to anesthesia, which offers a more relaxed schedule permissive of parenting obligations. Two ex-girlfriends chose easier paths (family practice and anesthesia).
My own fiancée, for example, was in medical school and realized that she couldn’t have the family of six that she desired if she went through with becoming a doctor. So she switched to nursing school. She is now a pediatric critical care nurse (she loves those little babies!) but is anxious for the day she can quit work and stay home with our future kiddos. (That’s about 2-3 years from now, for those who are wondering…)
Now, in this modern world, I don’t think a woman has to give up her career. I know some couples who chose that the wife should work (as high-paying lawyers and engineers) and the husband decided to stay home with the kids. In my opinion, that’s an acceptable option, since the parents are raising the kids, and not nannies. But I think there is some truth in the matter that God created innate gender-determined roles, and that these serve some higher purpose.
I offer for your final consideration the woman who decides to remain celibate for the purpose of a higher vocation – service of mankind, either as a health-care missionary or as a Religious. In this case, one might argue that Christ is her husband, and the world is her children. And in this case, I think she is demonstrating exactly what all of us – women included – should be.
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dwc
Guest
I don’t think women have to choose between career and motherhood, although surgery and certain other medical specialties might be the exception to that. There are a multitude of ways in which women can reduce their work schedules to allow them to mother their children. They just have to be willing to accept that they will never advance as far in their careers as they initially thought they would. The payoff of being a mom more than compensates for that.
No way are women designed to be blindly obedient to their husbands, the analogies to Christ and His apostles notwithstanding.
Women should be willing to do whatever it takes to make their marriage and family work – as should their men. If both genders just focused on this, these discussions would become moot with regard to married couples.
No way are women designed to be blindly obedient to their husbands, the analogies to Christ and His apostles notwithstanding.
Women should be willing to do whatever it takes to make their marriage and family work – as should their men. If both genders just focused on this, these discussions would become moot with regard to married couples.
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turboEDvo
Guest
Certain branches of surgery, such as many areas of orthopedic surgery, as well as preventative heart surgery, should be able to provide most people with a schedule that is lenient enough to also satisfy family and parenting obligations. Granted, being an OB/GYN or energency heart surgeon wouldn’t necessarily be the best choice, as they often live their lives on a pager.
Eamon
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Fashina86
Guest
wow what brilliance… I am sure that you heard my mother saying that or was that me!?)
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turboEDvo
Guest
Mostly from my mom. But of course, I listen to many many people.wow what brilliance… I am sure that you heard my mother saying that or was that me!?)
Eamon
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lizziebeth730
Guest
I also agree that women have to choose between a career and motherhood. Perhaps it just needs to talked about in Pre-Cana, to help with some issues.
I would never marry a guy who wanted me to have 37 kids (Sorry, I like not being incontinent). I wouldn’t marry a guy who wanted me to stay at home and raise kids forever (because I have spent several hundred thousand plus interest on my education) Will I take a year off to raise a baby? Probably. If I have three kids and it’s costing more than what I make a year to put them in day care? I’ll take a leave. But I’m not geared to sit at home all day. I can’t imagine spending my days making other peoples beds, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, running errands, etc. I’m just not geared that way. I would literally need to be placed into an asylum about 15 days after I started being at home. Fortuneatly my career choice of Geriatric Social Work, alllows me to not be tied to a pager constantly. I have to wear it every other weekend in case someone should pass away, or there is a serious incident and family members need to be alerted (fire, bomb threat, etc)It allows me to have a career, where I get up every morning and now that I’m providing a service to people at the end of their lives and making it just a little more bearable.
I would never marry a guy who wanted me to have 37 kids (Sorry, I like not being incontinent). I wouldn’t marry a guy who wanted me to stay at home and raise kids forever (because I have spent several hundred thousand plus interest on my education) Will I take a year off to raise a baby? Probably. If I have three kids and it’s costing more than what I make a year to put them in day care? I’ll take a leave. But I’m not geared to sit at home all day. I can’t imagine spending my days making other peoples beds, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, running errands, etc. I’m just not geared that way. I would literally need to be placed into an asylum about 15 days after I started being at home. Fortuneatly my career choice of Geriatric Social Work, alllows me to not be tied to a pager constantly. I have to wear it every other weekend in case someone should pass away, or there is a serious incident and family members need to be alerted (fire, bomb threat, etc)It allows me to have a career, where I get up every morning and now that I’m providing a service to people at the end of their lives and making it just a little more bearable.
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ShroudMan
Guest
There should another option…
They should be all of the above while wearing a French Maid outfit.
They should be all of the above while wearing a French Maid outfit.
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Fashina86
Guest
sorry, I guess she would say that too. I didn’t even think about her. Well, Mrs. Tran has drilled that one into my head!Mostly from my mom. But of course, I listen to many many people.
Eamon
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